So Many Reasons to be Thankful - Washington Square Park

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, we asked some MVPs (most valuable parkies) what they’re thankful for in Washington Square Park this year.

1. Donald – Graffiti Cleaning Supplies

Donald is the Park caretaker and graffiti-cleaning guru. He’s thankful for all the graffiti cleaning supplies that WSPC provides, especially the EcoBlaster pressure washer with portable water tank and Safewipe graffiti cleaning wipes!

2. Debbie – Playground Shed

Miss Debbie, as the kids know her, is always looking for ways to enhance kids’ experience in Washington Square Park. That’s why she’s thankful for the new storage shed WSPC purchased for the large playground. It’s increased capacity will allow her to organize and store even more ways to have fun.

3. DeAndre – Tilt Truck

Park Worker DeAndre picking up trash — ^{DeAndre, with his trusty tilt truck}

Maintenance worker DeAndre is one of the people responsible for keeping the Park looking clean and beautiful. Part of his job is collecting the accumulated trash from around the Park. He’s thankful for any tools that make the job easier, but particularly the Tilt Trucks. These are the large grey rolling bins that staff use to collect bags of refuse from the receptacles around the Park. Much easier than carrying the bags individually!

4. Gui – Bulbs

Head Gardener Gui always has a tough time choosing his favorite plants, but he’s certainly a sucker for blooming bulbs. That’s why he’s so thankful for the thousands of bulbs the Conservancy has purchased for the Park over the last decade, including 5,000 this year alone!

5. Saul – Closed Bathroom Signs

Maintenance worker Saul tackles a lot of messy jobs in the Park, including cleaning the bathrooms. It’s a job only made harder by frequent interruptions, that’s why he’s so thankful for the closed bathrooms signs WSPC purchased for the Park House. While a quick clean is possible when the bathrooms are in use, a deeper cleaning is needed several times each day. The signs let Parkies know why the bathrooms are closed and cuts the questions about the closings to a minimum.

6. Clean Team Volunteers – Grabbers

Clean Team member Janice tackles trash on the North side of WSP — ^{Clean Team member Janice shows off her grabber}

Washington Square Park has a dedicated team of volunteers that assist the staff with trash pick up. Our anti-litter legion is grateful for their main weapon: the trash grabber. Providing extended reach and the ability to pick up trash without physically touching it, these grabbers are essential, and WSPC purchases them by the dozens.

7. Greeter Volunteers – Stickers and Buttons

array of buttons and stickers featuring WSP features

The Greeter volunteers spend their weekends in Washington Square Park interacting with the community. Sometimes it can be a little hard to break the ice, but that’s why they’re thankful for WSPC’s stickers and buttons! Everyone wants to talk to you when you have an adorable Park trinket to share.

8. Weeder Volunteers – Kneelers

four volunteers in green t-shirts pose smiling with gardening tools — ^{Weeders get ready for a shift, with a bucket of kneelers ready to go}

Washington Square Park’s Weeder volunteers provide extra hands in the busiest seasons to keep on top of all the work required to keep the horticulture thriving. A lot of their work involves kneeling down in the dirt, and that’s why the Weeders are always grateful for the supply of kneeler pads purchased by WSPC that provide much-needed cushioning during their 3 hour shifts.

9. Photography Volunteers – Exciting Events

a crowd of people dancing in the park featuring a woman wearing a red dress being spun by a dance partner

There’s always something beautiful to photograph in Washington Square Park, but our photography volunteers especially love capturing the vibe at Conservancy-hosted programs! Whether it’s the sunny glow of an evening Salsa class or the addictive adorable-ness of a dog costume contest, events always make for fascinating content.

10. Sheryl – Donors

Conservancy Deputy Director Sheryl finds herself thankful for so much on any given day. But she knows that none of what WSPC has accomplished over the last decade would be possible without the support of the Conservancy’s incredible donors. That’s why on Thanksgiving and every other day, she’s so thankful for your support.